More than 50% of Church of England clergy support premarital and homosexual relationships

Canterbury Cathedral, England. | Getty Images

A first of its kind survey in nearly a decade reveals a majority of Church of England priests favor “modernizing” church doctrine on issues like same-sex marriage and premarital sex.

According to a comprehensive poll by The Times (U.K.), many Anglican clergy want the church to conduct same-sex weddings and abandon its traditional, biblical stance on premarital and gay sex. The survey analyzed responses from 1,200 serving priests, including vicars, rectors and chaplains, representing about 6% of active clergy.

The CofE’s law prohibits its ministers from officiating same-sex marriages. However, the survey found that 53.4% of priests support a change in law to allow this, compared to 36.5% who are against it. This marks a significant shift from a 2014 survey, where 51% of priests declared same-sex marriage to be wrong.

The poll found that 62.6% of priests think the denomination should drop its opposition to premarital sex. Of these, 21.6% back an end to the teaching and 41% say it should be dropped only for people in “committed relationships.”

Professor Linda Woodhead, head of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at King’s College London, was quoted as saying that the clergy take a more moderate position than their leaders. She suggested that the denomination might be in a “better place” today if leaders had listened more to frontline priests.

The Bishop of Leeds, Nick Baines, said in a statement that the CofE is not a club seeking popularity. However, he acknowledged that priests are thoughtfully and prayerfully wrestling with societal questions.

An article on the Got Questions apologetics website states that the Bible condemns homosexuality as an immoral and unnatural sin. “Leviticus 18:22 identifies homosexual sex as an abomination, a detestable sin,” it says. “Romans 1:26–27 declares homosexual desires and actions to be ‘shameful’ and ‘unnatural.’ First Corinthians 6:9 states that homosexuals are ‘wrongdoers’ who will not inherit the kingdom of God. Since homosexuality is condemned in the Bible, it follows that homosexuals marrying is not God’s will and would be, in fact, sinful.”

It adds: “According to the Bible, marriage is ordained by God as the lifetime union of a man and a woman (Genesis 2:21–24; Matthew 19:4–6). Gay marriage/same-sex marriage is a perversion of the institution of marriage and an offense to the God who created marriage. As Christians, we do not condone or ignore sin. Rather, we share the love of God and act as ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). We point to the forgiveness of sins that is available to all, including homosexuals, through Jesus Christ. We speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and contend for truth with “gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).”

The Times survey also revealed high stress levels among priests. Many fear that the CofE’s efforts to increase attendance will fail, leading to its “extinction.” Two-thirds of the priests surveyed believe that efforts to stop the decline in attendance will fail.

The poll found that almost a third of working-age priests have “seriously considered” quitting in the past five years. More than 40% feel “overworked or over-stretched.”

It also revealed that 61.4% of parish priests manage or work across more than one church. Some 19% work across five or more churches, and 5% work across eight or more.

The survey also touched on the role of women in the church. Over 80% of priests would back the appointment of a woman as Archbishop of Canterbury. The Bishop of Dover, Rose Hudson-Wilkin, called for a review of measures that allow churches to reject female leaders.